Review by Ryan Getz
The Lost Revival is without a doubt one of the hidden gems of Columbus underground independent music. TLR plays shows not often enough to be considered a local tour de force, but have existed long enough to be somewhat of a local mainstay. Neither do they play seldom enough to be considered a seldom-seen band. Their current release carries the whimsical yet semi-facetious title The Greatest Scam Ever Pulled. Why semi-facetious? I’m not sure. Its just that with a band that takes its craft so seriously, a facetious tone in such an odd title doesn’t seem to be out of the question.
But, what of TLR’s actual sound? The band has one of the most intriguing sounds to come out of, well, anywhere, in my mind. The consistent vibe is that of a dingy lounge that subtly screams “coolness”, tucked in an alley frequented by the elite and vagrants of city nightlife. Kevin Collins couldn’t have a more perfectly suited voice for the band’s target sound, which seems to have been perfected on this album. Collins’ fiancee Kelly Kefauver is a force to be reckoned behind the huge sax that nearly overshadows her petite frame in stature but not in attitude. I mean, just check out that hook in “We the Devil” and album opener “Here With My Name” – two flagship examples of attitude condensed into a soundbite in this album.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4kx9px3lQw&h=297&w=450]
The album’s diversity is shown further in the back to back tracks “Ma Cherie” and “Two Minus One Equals One,” the former which is a frenzied 2-ish minutes kicked off by a furious bass-wail on Collins’ part, and the latter which slowly builds up over nearly 3 minutes before climaxing in a quick, irresistible piano melody and overall tempo change. Some tracks are straight up catchy in a more straightforward way as well, such as “Madness Lies Therein.”
The Lost Revival have crafted a professional, huge album that somehow remains one of the better kept secrets in the DIY scene. This album is one of my favorite discoveries this year.
0 Comments